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Fifty Years of John Fluevog

The iconic shoe designer’s new book steps into his world of singularly stylish footwear

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This article originally appeared in the April 2020 issue of Seattle magazine.

This article appears in print in the April 2020 issue. Click here to subscribe.

John Fluevog Shoes is known for alternative designs worn by the likes of Madonna, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. This year, the brand’s namesake founder is celebrating his 50th anniversary in the shoe business with a coffee table book titled Fluevog: 50 Years of Unique Soles for Unique Souls ($50), filled with eye-catching images of his iconic, trend-defying designs.

Seattle played an important role in the brand’s evolution: After launching his first store in 1970 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Fluevog opened a Seattle location in 1985. The storefront at Second Avenue and Pine Street was the designer’s first in the United States and the birthplace of Fluevog’s famed Angel boots, an environmentally friendly grunge mainstay worn by the “cool kids,” according to Fluevog. Our fair city also inspired The Seattle Family line of shoes and boots, which was designed to balance youthful style and heritage techniques with smooth leather and comfort à la memory foam insoles.

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way. 

What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common?  According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot.  “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.

The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture.  This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.

Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).

WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…